The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, a private organization that provides local donors with resources for philanthropy, recently awarded another grant to the Greater New Haven Leadership Center. The grant will allow the center to provide scholarships to participants in its program.

The leadership center, a subsidiary of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce, provides a 10 month educational program to local corporations and nonprofit organizations. Many nonprofit companies do not have the resources needed to provide the $1,200 tuition. The grant of $15,000 will allow 16 people from such organizations to receive scholarships, each for two-thirds of the tuition.

Patti Scussel, executive director of the leadership center, said the center began through an initiative of the Volunteer Action Center. She said the Chamber of Commerce has since taken over the leadership center and expanded its programs. There are currently a few programs under the wing of the leadership center.

Scussel also said this year’s class contains 37 people, divided into six teams. As community service is a major component of the training, each of the six teams is responsible for a service project. The projects range from child welfare and education to facilitating cooperation between local cities and communities.

“They’re looking at ways they can help the region as a whole,” Scussel said.

Scussel said the grant will afford a great opportunity to people who otherwise would not have it.

Funding has been an important factor for the leadership center. Scussel said this year’s class had 40 applicants, and of that group, two could not attend because they lacked the finances for tuition. One other person quit, so the class had a final count of 37.

The Community Foundation aims to protect the local community’s assets while enhancing the quality of life for people in the New Haven area. According to a press release from the Chamber of Commerce, the foundation distributed $9.2 million to at least 485 charitable funds in 2001. Since 1928, the foundation has built a $221 million endowment. The Community Foundation does not support any particular cause, but rather supports the general welfare of the community.

More than 360 executives have graduated from the course, the press release said.

President Anthony Rescigno of the Chamber of Commerce said the chamber worked cooperatively with the leadership center to obtain the grant. He said he personally spoke with the staff at the Community Foundation and told them how the grant would benefit the community.

Representatives from the Community Foundation were not available for comment.